Sr. User Experience Designer (IxD, UX, UI)

Websites wants you to enter from the back not the front

Fastcompany features an article about how homepages as we know it is dead, In the future we will still see homepages but in a new form that supports social media and “link references” much better than now where all people are expected to enter from the front

of course landingpages, mega menus and related content are implemented to lead the user around in the eco system – but new times are coming where, apps in form of social media like twitter pinterest and other crowd sourced mediums are going to rule the webspace – the persons who knows best what we like to read, see or buy is the ones we follow or trust…

So what Fastcompany is actually pointing out is that we might come to see webpages build only to serve the social medium, as “content only”. Served only for social media not even accessible from your browser.
the world wide web – the digital information hi-way is going to become a subset of our daily news feed from our favorite social media like facebook twitter or pinterest.

Anything new in this? nothing actually… most of us know that social media have a huge role in referrals to most visited websites…

We are animals driven by habit!

The new thing is apps. we love spending time on apps because its fast and easy. We are animals driven by habit! If we seek the same kind of content more than a few times during a week, it will be accessible as an app any time soon if not already. If we go to seek info on our favorite football team we do not go to their website, there is a football app for that. if we want to buy clothes we dont go to the retailers website we go to zalando or some other huge franchise for that, same goes for ordering pizza. And when it comes to the daily news ? well twitter, facebook or linkedin makes sure we get to see todays most important “read abouts” – so what about all the place on the web where we go once in a while?

we have already covered blogs and editorial websites, viewed from social media. And since games and entertainment is a no brainer as Apps. What about small shops or small business to business companies, where do they want to position themselves digitally in the future?

The GIANTS are taking over!

As for small shops or small individual business’ where focus on running a webshop is limited. We will see large franchises like amazon pick them up and be able to promote and sell their goods in more efficient way. whether you sell computer parts, food or any other consumer good you will most likely be able to find a big franchise with an app that can handle your order or interest fast and cheap. Why do I believe the future is in large franchise? because its proven to be a “win-win-win” for both the consumer, the retailer and the guy running the franchise. You might as well just close the front door and ship your goods directly from the back door as for websites there will be less and less need for a shiny frontpage and more need to serve the content it self, cheaper and faster – so all in all we are going back to “content is king” in its purest form possible. So when all this is running in its highest gear and the world wide web is pure content, databases and store houses – we might come to see a big push in marketing not as banners in apps or payed space at the franchise domain. But more radical noise penetration.

When the digital world is taken over by giants such as facebook, twitter, pintarest, amazon and other franchise apps. And prices have dropped, and everyone sees it as a win-win-win things will slowly start turning gray – things will all be the same everywhere we go, every day – content will be content, fake or not … everything will be served the same way everyday and it will become very hard to control any user behavior as a company or individual. the franchises runs the show. And if you want coverage you better pay up. banners or push marketing will become less efficient.

We then turn to bloggers, trustees or product ambassadors, in order to get our message through – but with a constantly news feed ticking phone in our hands we start getting better and better at sorting true content from fake/payed content.

this is why companies needs to dig down deep and figure out how to turn the users on remotely. or as i call it – “find the shareable content”. at this point we have seen too many web commercials where, company sponsored flash mobs dance in an open space. Or people are given the greatest gift they can Imagine for money that now a days would be spend on huge hollywood quality TV commercials.

Trust runs the show

“Feelings” is already beginning to wear off in some parts of the world, such as the united states where almost all TV shows is about the “Feel good” moment. Companies needs to be more honest and transparent with their users in order to get under the skin. This is why kickstarter or other crowd funded concepts works in its best for the individual business. Because they are forced to be transparent about their product, and be able to fill a need. They will then eventually succeed in bringing their product onto the blogs and news feeds without money being involved in the process. because the product it self is sharable content. this creates trust.

Business’ that provide a cheaper copy of an original Idea will eventually lose. because the system is build to serve the best content that leaves the biggest impression – not the best online marketing spam or webdesign

Business’ needs to think radically in new disruptive innovative ways that will leave a “shareable impression” on the user regardless of product.
That or go subconscious, with things like gamification to make the user motivated in a hidden way. You make them think they play an important role. by rewarding them in a positive reinforcing feedback loop or simply give them discounts for tasks they will serve your business.